When the World Shakes (Olivet Discourse, Pt. 1)

Opening Comments:

If you have your Bible this morning, please make your way to Luke 21:5. (Pg. 827 in Church provided Bible.)

We’re still in the final week of Jesus life on Tuesday which was a long day of teaching and confrontation inside the Temple complex.

Our text this morning comes as Jesus is leaving the temple with his followers and as he sits with them on the Mount of Olives just about a thousand yards away looking down on the Temple below, in what scholars often call the “Olivet Discourse.”

This teaching stretches from v.5-38. We’re going to cover vs.5-24 today, and 25-38 next week.

Before we dive into reading the text, let me say that this portion of Luke and its counterparts in Matthew and Mark, make up some of the most difficult teaching of Jesus in the Bible.

That doesn’t mean we can’t understand it, it means we have to handle it humbly and carefully. We don’t want to force the text to say any more or less than it does by trying to cram it into any preconceived ideas. We want to take it at face value and do our best to understand it as it was intended.

Follow along as we read God’s authoritative word.

Luke 21:5–24 ESV

5 And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 7 And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. 13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 You will be hated by all for my name’s sake.18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your lives. 20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23 Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Introduction:

The Temple at Jerusalem was considered to be one of the wonders of the ancient world.

Herod the Great had begun a massive renovation to it beginning around 19 or 20 B.C. and it had continued for decades, almost up until it was destroyed. Ancient writers speak of it having massive white stones, ornate tapestries, doors made of bronze and gold, and adorned with golden grape clusters. It was said to have looked like a snow-covered mountain sparkling in the sun from a distance.

All of this made it not only the religious center for the Jewish people but a source of national pride.

For Jesus to say that it was all going to be torn down, was something they just couldn’t fathom. To them, if the Temple falls, then that must mean the end of the world.

So they approach Jesus and ask a question: When is this going to happen, and how will we know it’s starting?

Jesus answers them, but instead of giving them a date, He prepares them for what it will be like when it begins.

He first tells them:

1.) Do not mistake turmoil for the immediate end. (21:8–11)

If they are going to live through a season of turmoil faithfully, then they needed to know what to be on guard for.

A.) Do not be misled by false voices (v.8)

Luke 21:8 ESV

8 And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them.

The first thing people tend to do in times of turmoil and instability is look for someone to explain it with certainty and direct them to what they should do next.

Remember during the pandemic when everything was so uncertain and changing every day?

How quickly did we follow and listen to certain voices for direction in the chaos and hung on to their every word like it was gospel.

We looked to Dr. Fauci like a savior.

That’s the exact instinct Jesus is warning his disciples against. Because when the world begins to shake, people are far more easily led than they realize.

When turmoil arises it makes us restless and confused. So, we grasp for anything and anyone who claim to have the answers we need.

That’s exactly what unfolded in the years leading up to Jerusalem’s destruction.

As conflict and upheaval with Rome grew more intense, men came along gathering followings, stirring up political unrest, and making claims that they were the Messiah come to bring deliverance.

Jesus warns not to believe them!

He also warns them…

B.) Do not be alarmed by world events (v.9–11)

Luke 21:9–11 ESV

9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

v.9-11 describe a season when everything feels unsettled.

By the mid 60’s AD, the tensions with Rome devolved into open conflict all over the region. Within Jerusalem, rival Jewish factions were fighting one another, destroying food supplies and committing violence inside the city while Rome surrounded them.

And the instability wasn’t limited to Judea. The entire Roman world was experiencing upheaval. In 69 AD Rome went through what historians call the “Year of Four Emperors,” where four different rulers rose and fell in rapid succession, bringing civil war across the empire. At the same time Rome was engaged in military conflicts in Britain and along the Parthian border.

On top of that earthquakes, famines, and pestilences—and those were happening as well. A major earthquake struck Pompeii in 63 AD, and others damaged cities across Asia Minor like Laodicea and Colossae. Famines spread across the empire, (including the famine predicted by Agabus in Acts 11.) Pestilences followed periods of war and instability. From every direction, it would have looked like the world was coming apart.

Jesus corrects that kind of fear that arises when chaos is rampant in the world by saying things like this must take place. It’s part of the normal existence in this world, but they are not the end.

In this case, they were the build up to the coming destruction.

They were expecting one moment to bring everything to a close but Jesus is preparing them to live through a season where things are going to continually escalate without it all ending at once.

Like watching a storm role in on the horizon. I lived in IN for many years in college and out there its flat. You can see the wind rise in the distance, and watch the sky darken. You can listen to the thunder as it approaches. But, all your watching is the front edge of the storm. The full force is still of in the distance.

Jesus is helping them understand what they are seeing so they are not misled and not afraid.

Application: That same pattern is still at work. When the world feels unstable, voices rise quickly, and people follow just as quickly.

Jesus does not call His people to chase those voices or to treat every conflict as if it signals the end.

He calls us to steadiness.

To think clearly.

To stay anchored in His Word.

To refuse to be swept up in fear or speculation.

Nothing is unfolding outside of His authority. He is ruling over all of it according to His plan.

Psalm 46:1–2 ESV

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

Friends, if He tells His disciples not to be terrified, then fear is not how His people are meant to live.

2.) Expect persecution and use it as an opportunity to bear witness (v.12–19)

In v.12-19 Jesus shifts from what will be happening around them, to what will happen to them. The world won’t just be turbulent, it will be hostile toward those who follow him.

A.) Expect persecution as part of following Christ (v.12–17)

Listen to how Jesus describes the pressure and suffering they will face.

Luke 21:12–17 ESV

12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. 13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 You will be hated by all for my name’s sake.

This is exactly what we see unfold in the book of Acts.

Peter and John are arrested and brought before the counsel.

Stephen (one of the first deacons is stoned to death for preaching.)

And later the Apostle Paul is dragged in front of governors and kings.

Persecution for following Jesus isn’t the exception, it’s the rule!

That runs counter to what most of modern christianity has taught. The prosperity gospel teaches that as long as we walk with Jesus, life will be easy and we’ll never face any hardship. Frankly, it’s not just the prosperity Gospel, it the way of thinking for AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY.

Jesus taught his disciples that their faithfulness to Him was going to cause them persecution and death.

But, they were to…

B.) Use persecution as an opportunity to bear witness (v.13–15)

Luke 21:13 ESV

13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness.

Persecution isn’t a set back, it’s an opportunity to point others to Jesus.

Jesus tells them when they are dragged before rulers, they are being given a platform to preach the gospel.

Luke 21:14–15 ESV

14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.

That is exactly what we see unfold in the book of Acts!

Before Stephen is pelted with rocks, he stands and preaches Jesus with clarity and boldness.

Paul stands before rulers on more than one occasion, and proclaims Christ.

No matter how hard the opposition tried, they couldn’t silence the gospel. The persecution only served as an amplifier for the spread of the gospel.

Jesus tells them they can face endure persecution because of…

C.) God’s preserving hand (v.18–19)

Luke 21:18 ESV

18 But not a hair of your head will perish.

Friends, Jesus is saying that even in death, they will not be lost. That nothing that comes there way will put them outside of His care. All their enemies could do was take their life, but they couldn’t take their salvation. That had been secured by Jesus.

Old saint- “They can’t threaten me with heaven.”

If we are in Christ, we are held secure by him.

Luke 21:19 ESV

19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.

Those who belong to Christ, remain in Christ. We don’t endure to gain salvation, our endurance reveals our salvation. Those who are in Christ, remain in Christ. They continue. They persevere. They don’t walk away when following Him becomes costly.

1 John 2:19 ESV

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

Application: Hardship for the christian isn’t always a sign that something has gone wrong. When we face opposition it doesn't mean God has walked away from us.

It’s part of the christian experience.

Jesus tells his disciples to expect it, and not be surprised when persecution comes.

A faith that only works when life is easy is not the kind of faith Jesus is describing here.

Genuine Christianity…

Follows Christ even when it costs him something.

It speaks truth, when the world doesn’t welcome it.

It remains steady when pressure arises.

The same Jesus who calls his followers to endure holds onto us as we do.

John 10:28 ESV

28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Romans 8:35–39 ESV

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

3.) Understand that Jerusalem’s fall is a real act of divine judgment (v. 20–24)

Now, the conversation shifts again as Jesus moves from general turmoil and personal persecution, to a specific event.

The real, historically verifiable destruction of Jerusalem.

A.) Recognize the moment when judgment arrives (v.20–22)

They asked for a sign of when these things were going to take place, now Jesus gives it to them.

Luke 21:20–22 ESV

20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.

The same Jerusalem who heard Jesus teach, saw him preform miracles, and will soon reject and murder him; would, in time, feel the full weight of God’s judgement for that rejection.

In AD 70, Rome reached the end of its tolerance for Israels rebellion. Roman forces surrounded and besieged Jerusalem for four months. Completely cutting it off to the point that the conditions inside Jerusalem became unbearable. Famine took hold and broke out inside the city because of it.

Eventually the Roman army led by Titus breached the city walls and started burning Jerusalem to the ground including the Temple.

They then proceeded to level it tearing down its beautiful white stones one by one.

Just as Jesus said they would.

B.) See the severity and scope of the judgment (v.23–24)

Luke 21:23–24 ESV

23 Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Jesus predicted that families would be caught in the middle of all teh destruction. People would be unable to escape the violence and death as large numbers were slaughtered.

Jewish historian Josephus, who was an eyewitness to the destruction, says roughly 97,000 people were carried off into slavery.

Those that weren’t were scattered all over the Roman empire.

Jerusalem was left leveled and desolate for sixty years.

At this point, the temple still stands, looming off in the distance. The outward religious system was still firmly in place. Their appearance of devotion to God still on full display.

But none of that was going to protect them.

Judgement was coming for their rejection.

Application: Friends, Jesus words here ought to serve as a reminder to us that the judgement of God for rejecting Jesus is real!

It’s evidenced by history!

It comes, even to those who appear to be religious.

It shows us that its possible to be near the things of God and know a lot about God and still be far from him.

You can be familiar with the truth of God’s word. Sit in a place of worship every week, and still be in complete rejection of Him.

Jerusalem had a Temple that was world renowned, but it rejected Jesus!

Let that stand as a warning to you this morning, that outward religion can’t bring salvation. Only faith in Jesus can.

Conclusion:

As Jesus sits on the Mount of Olives, looking down at that temple, everything still sparkles.

The massive beautiful stones stand strong.

The intricate religious system is still functioning.

People are still coming and going from the it.

Nothing about it says its going to come crashing down. But Jesus knows what’s on the horizon, so he prepares his disciples for what lies ahead by telling them:

Don’t be misled when the world becomes unstable.

Don’t be shaken when following Me becomes costly.

Don’t misunderstand what God is doing when judgment comes.

Every one of those warnings presses the button on the same issue: Will you rightly respond to Jesus?

Invitation:

Jerusalem had Jesus in front of them and still rejected him. Don’t make that same mistake.

God’s judgement upon sin is just. You’re only hope for escape to come to Jesus by repenting of your sin and calling out to him as Lord. He bore the wrath of God, so that you don’t have too. You can escape the wrath to come in Christ.

Christian, when everything around us feels unsettled, we are not to be pulled along by every voice that claims to explain it. We are to stand firm in Christ.

When following Him becomes costly, we remain faithful.

And when we see the reality of God’s judgment, we take it seriously enough to shape our witness.

This is not a time for a casual or distracted faith. It is a time to follow Christ with clarity, with conviction, and with endurance.

Prayer:

Father,

We have heard Your Word, and we ask that You would not let us walk away unchanged.

For those who have never come to Christ, open their eyes to see their sin and their need for Him. Give them grace even now to turn from their sin and trust in Jesus who bore Your wrath in their place and rose again to save.

And for those of us who belong to You, steady us snd keep us from being led astray when the world feels unstable.

Strengthen us to remain faithful when following Christ is costly. Give us courage to bear witness.

We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.